WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 22, 2020

Dayana Yastremska

Press Conference

D. YASTREMSKA/V. Williams

5-7, 6-2, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you just talk about what was going on through your mind? You turned that ankle, you're down a set, you seemed like you were dealing with a lot of pain in your foot. What was the key in terms of how you were able to get that win?

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: Whew. The feelings, it's mixed. I'm very happy that I won and same time very sad because I had really good opportunity the first set. But when I twisted my ankle, to be honest, my mind completely went the other way. I started to think just about the pain, how I twisted, and what is going to be next. So, you know, I didn't even play like the end of the first set.

And after that, you know, I took the medicine timeout, and I really tried to be focused on the game. You know, I really wanted to withdraw after the first game when I lost, but after that, the second game when I was serving, I told to myself that I'm not going to withdraw, that I'm going to play to the end. It doesn't matter how it's going to finish, but I have to finish that match. I really have to deal with the pain.

And of course I didn't really feel my leg, because it was taped, but I felt the pain like from inside. So it wasn't really easy.

Q. I mean, it sounded like, from what the microphones could pick up, Sascha was saying, If you don't think you can play for another two hours, just stop. So I'm just kind of wondering, did you make a commitment, like, No, I'm okay, I can play? Or were you just not sure and playing through until you felt better?

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: As I said, I'm really honest right now, I really wanted to withdraw because of the pain. Sascha said the same, that don't play if you really feel pain.

And I did felt pain. But I played against Venus Williams, so I really wanted to finish that match even with the pain.

It wasn't matter for me I'm going to win or I'm going to lose, but I have to give it everything I have, even with the pain. So I told them, I told to my father and I told to my coach Sascha that, No, I'm going to play, even though they tried to show me, Do not push the match yourself because you feel pain.

But I tried to show them that I had to play to the end, like I really wanted to finish that match.

Q. Did you start to make adjustments in your game? It seemed like you were starting to just kind of, you know, see ball, hit ball.

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: That's true. I become to be a little bit calm, and I started to make more right decisions. I just tried to play more simple, you know.

Because I wasn't really focusing, you know, and doing something special, because I knew I could not move really well. I just started to put the ball back to the court, and I think that was the key.

Q. How concerned are you about the foot right now? Is it that you got through the win, maybe it doesn't feel as bad as you thought it was, or are you still unsure?

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: It's taped. I don't really feel pain right now. And plus, trying the tablets against the pain, the painkillers. So right now it hurts but it's taped. It hurts from inside (smiling).

Yeah, like I feel the pain, but, you know, when I turn my leg, I don't really feel too much pain, but I guess tomorrow morning I'm going to know for sure how it feels. I expect it's not going to be so bad.